Arvada Police Warn Residents After Possible Coyote Attack

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ARVADA, Colo. (CBS4) – Police in Arvada have sent out a warning after a possible coyote attack on a 16-year-old girl.

The attack happened over the weekend as the teen was walking her dog near 86th Parkway and Simms Street.

The teen is recovering. She had to get a series of four shots to protect her against the possibility of rabies. She was bit in a greenbelt that is a good place for coyotes because there’s an active source of water.

Wildlife officials say the area and areas like it are part of the growing problem for coyotes. Wildlife officials say coyote activity is getting more brazen because they see people as a source for food.

Wildlife officials are trying to educate people to be as hostile as possible with coyotes. They say to yell, scream, and make sure they stay away. Neighborhoods like the one where the teen was attacked have expanded into coyote habitat.

The attack that happened on Friday may have been setting up for several minutes. The victim said she thought she was being stalked by the animal.

“I saw it and I was like, ‘Okay, this is weird because I didn’t think it would attack me, like a person.’ I’ve heard of them attacking just dogs by themselves and stuff,” the teen said. “We’ve seen coyotes in our neighborhood before. I know it was just following us for a while and then all of a sudden came at us.”

She was bitten on her arm. Her dog ended up fighting the coyote off and then it came back for a second round.

Wildlife Officials say having a dog may have caused the coyote to attack in the first place. The area may very well be a den for coyotes. Coyotes might read having a dog as a threat and be put in a very defensive state.

One of the main pieces of advice for fighting off coyotes is to carry rocks around and make as hostile an environment as you can if you come in contact with those animals.